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#1
07-23-2006, 07:19 AM
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Powering laptop via cigarette lighter?
I've powered small devices like a FM transmitter via the cigarette lighter plug in my '85 MB 300TD (wagon). Works fine.
Now I'm going on a 2 week road trip and want to take my laptop. Will the lighter plug provide enough juice? Is it safe to use the lighter plug for this? This is to allow the kids to watch movies in the back seat.
__________________
JWJ 1983 MB 300D - > 430,000 miles - Deep Blue - Bilstein Comforts - 0-60 in 24 seconds - 27MPG 1985 MB 300TD (wagon) - > 275,000 miles - Manila Beige - Thule rack - 0-60 in 18 seconds - 22 - 25MPG Biodiesel, Mobil Delvac 1, and Viton fuel lines! 
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#2
07-23-2006, 07:41 AM
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Sure, go to Radio Shack and buy a lighter socket 12 V to 110 Inverter.
Steve
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#4
07-23-2006, 10:02 AM
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i can tell you that it works too, but you do have to be careful. there are the DC to AC converters, which i find very poor powermanagment, because you are going from DC in your cig socket to 110AC, so you can plug your 110AC laptop brick in which converts it back to DC. there is lots of heat loss and i dont like it.
best way is to just get a DC DC step up converter. i got one from ebay that handles just about every laptop plug out there for only $14. i have an hp and compaq and they both had the plugs that worked. the only thing you need to watch out is the wattage. most laptops have different size power bricks and there are really 2 kinds of powersupplies. the ones under 65Watts and the ones above 70Watts. make sure you get the right kind. i had a buddy of mine that fried much of his car electrical system when he had a 95W laptop connected to a <70W converter. the laptop just let a white puff of smoke from the side of it and then shorted tons of crap. laptop died, and his Glowplug circuit was shot, and the preglow light would not come on. radio was shot also. so you can go either way, but watch your wattage.
__________________
 Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD White '95 E300D 46k SOLD Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned
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#5
07-23-2006, 11:54 AM
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Quote:
Holy crap,  thats good too know, Thanks
__________________
 1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K 1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild 1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K 1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor 2014 Kubota L3800 tractor 1964 VW bug "Lifes too short to drive a boring car"
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#6
07-23-2006, 11:55 AM
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Quote:
 but even so, you don't have a lot of power to play with on that circuit. Don't up the fuse to a 15 either, the wiring is only 1.5mm. The attached image shows the diagram for that circuit. I have erased a few things so that it shows only the wiring for Fuse #4 and its loads. [Thanks to Braingears for the electrical diagrams.] Jeremy
__________________
 "Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
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#7
07-23-2006, 01:28 PM
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I bought a coleman 400watt continuous/800 peak inverter a couple years ago, and I can power a TV, laptop, lamp, etc...off it no problem. Just make sure its a good power inverter, those cheapo less than 100watt capacity ones are junk. I've been using mine on trips to power and charge stuff forever, and it works great. I've idled my car as a generator for a few hours before too, watched tv (32") and had a few lamps on(compact flourescent ones), and my laptop/network equipment all from an idling 617....
  Usually I use the aligator clip attachment for the inverter when I run over 150 watts off it though. The manual for it says to do a battery post connection for usage over 200watts.
__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-  '15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800) '17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k) '09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k) '13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k) '01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km) '16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)
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#8
07-24-2006, 12:06 AM
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Some friends of mine used this ultra tiny inverter that could fit in the palm of your hand to power a laptop for a 10 hour drive. I thought for sure it wasnt going to work, but it did.
I think it was 50 watts if that helps
__________________
1984 300D / The only Benz I have  Completed weekend projects
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#9
07-24-2006, 12:37 AM
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A laptop should run fine on the stock power outlet. Just be careful you don't unplug it on accident and let the power slowly die on the kids movie. Things don't fit very snug in those outlets.
__________________
Adam Lumsden (83) 300D Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section
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